Method and apparatus for coiffure control



July 7,1970 R. MIZELL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COIFFURE CONTROL 2Shets-Sheet 1 Filed May 8. 1968 FIG \IVVVVVVV\&

FIG 3.

July 7, 1970 L. R. MIZELL 3,519,003

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COIFFURE CONTROL Filed May 8, 1968 2Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 6 FIG 7 United States Patent 3,519,003 METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR COIFFURE CONTROL Louis R. Mizell, Andover, Mass., assignorto The Gillette Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware FiledMay 8, 1968, Ser. No. 727,418 Int. Cl. A45d 8/00 US. Cl. 132-7 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Control of hair style through fibers formedin place on the head by a filament forming device employing a viscousair-drying liquid composition.

This invention relates to a new method of shaping and styling the hair.Methods and compositions for maintaining hair styles are as old as mansrecorded history. Very early records indicate the use of thick oils,waxes, greases, resins, and other materials. As a result of therelatively recent development of aerosol packaging techniques hairsprays containing polymers dissolved in solvents and propellants havecome to make up a substantial portion of the items presently sold forhair style control.

Despite the invisibility, versatility, and convenience of modern hairsprays, hair nets have been and still are a vital adjunct to the art ofhair style control. A properly fitted hair net offers a degree ofpermanence, tensile strength, and dimensional stability that far exceedsthat provided by even the best compositions.

Yet even the finest and most expensive hair nets have seriousdisadvantages. First, they are necessarily preshaped to a fixed size andconfiguration. Second, they are conspicuously visible and thus interruptthe natural sweep and texture of the hair itself. No preformed hair netis as invisible and non-style-detracting as is desired by todaysstyle-conscious women. Moreover, no single preformed hair net can beshaped to fit the almost infinite variety of coiffures produced by thevariegated ingenuity of todays hair stylists.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a solution to theproblem of hair style control in the form of a strong, but virtuallyinvisible hair net formed in place on the coifiFure and thus readilyadjustable to every conceivable hair style simple or elaborate, smoothor billowy, large or small. Other objects of the invention are toprovide such a hair net which retains its shape and strength despitevariations in ambient temperature and humidity, which may beconveniently applied yet easily removed by combing or brushing, andwhich may be either invisible or colored as desired. The hair net of theinvention is formed in situ by drawing or extruding long finemicrofibers'or filaments from a rather sticky and stringy airdryingpolymer solution or dispersion of the proper viscosity (e.g. a viscoussolution of resin in a voltatile solvent such as alcohol) and laying thefilaments down upon the coifi'ure as they are formed.

In preferred embodiments there is featured a drawing device comprising areservoir of convenient size containing a quantity of a suitableair-drying polymer solution or dispersion and a cooperating drawingmember. The drawing member is provided with an irregular drawingsurface, which when brought into contact with the solution and thenslowly separated from it produces a skein of fine filaments extendingbetween the reservoir and the protuberant areas of the irregular drawingsurface. These filaments are laid down across the hair as they areformed, or soon after they are formed, and harden rapidly on exposure tothe air. Preferably the composition of the polymer solution is adjustedso that the filaments are adhesi 3,519,003 Patented July 7, 1970 Ice toeach other and slightly adhesive to the hair, but not adhesive to humanskin, thus forming a very fine but strong and integral hair netprecisely contoured to the outlines of the specific coiffure. Althoughthe filaments forming the hair net are normally both extremely fine andrelatively transparent, and hence virtually invisible, a variety ofcoloring materials can be mixed with the polymer solution. Consequently,it is apparent that besides the maintenance of hair styles otherapplications of the preferred embodiments include temporary haircoloring, streaking or frosting of womens hair, the production ofnovelty effects such as making the hair lustrous or pearlescent, themasking of kinky hair, and the covering of bald spots on the head.

Other objects, features, and advantages will appear from the followingdescription of preferred embodiments of the invention taken togetherwith the attached drawings thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of one form of drawing member;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the same member;

FIG. 3 is a view of a cooperating reservoir shown in side elevationpartially broken away in section;

FIG. 4 illustrates a typical use of the drawing device shown in FIGS. 1through 3;

FIG. 5 shows a variation of the device shown in FIGS. 1 through 4employing an alternative structure both for the drawing member and forthe reservoir;

FIG. 6 shows the use of a flexible retaining ring to reseal thereservoir after use;

FIG. 7 shows the use of a tape reservoir seal;

FIG. 8 shows a relatively inexpensive structure that is particularlysuitable for a disposable, single-use drawing device.

The drawing device of the preferred embodiments includes two principalparts: a reservoir or holder for the polymer solution and a cooperatingdrawing member. The reservoir is designed to store an appropriatequantity of the solution in a position that is readily accessible to thedrawing member. The drawing member is provided with an irregular drawingsurface having a sufiicient number of protuberances to produce arelatively large number of filaments; this enables the invisible hairnet to be created with a minimum number of draws. Both the reservoir andthe drawing member should be convenient to hold and easy to manipulate.Preferably, they should be compact enough to be conveniently carried ina purse, yet large enough to generate a suflicient quantity offilaments. If the drawing device is to be reuseable, it must be rescaledwell after each use so that the remaining portion of the solution willnot dry out.

The drawing device may be constructed from a variety of materials:plastic, hard rubber, metal, metal foil, glass, etc.the principalcriteria of choice being economy of manufacture and the aestheticpreferences of the user. The reservoir and drawing member may be of anyconvenient size and shape. For example, a rectangular drawing surfaceabout three inches long and one and one eighth inches wide has proved tobe large enough to produce a sufficient number of filaments at eachdraw, yet compact enough to be conveniently carried in a purse.

A side elevation of one suitable form of drawing member is shown inFIG. 1. A bottom view of the same member is shown in FIG. 2. The drawingmember 14 consists of a rectangular base plate 2 with a handle 4attached to its upper surface, its lower surface 5 (the drawing surface)being provided with an array of forty-eight approximately equally spacedpointed projections 6 with axes normal to the drawing surface. Thepointed projections are of frustroconical shape with a base diameter ofabout inch, an altitude of about inch, and a top (point) diameter ofabout & inch.

The form of the drawing member 14 may vary depending upon the densityand distribution of fibers desired for a particular application. Theform may be comb-like, saw-like, or, as described above, similar to aninverted bed of nails. The ends of the projections may be blunt,rounded, or pointed and may be varied in diameter in accordance with thedesired thickness of the filament to be drawn. (Filament thicknessvaries both with the size of the projections, and with the compositionof the polymer solution.) Filament diameters ranging for example, fromabout 0.2 micron to 3 microns have proved highly satisfactory for hairstyling applications. The cross sections of the projections need not becircular, and there is no requirement that the projections be equallyspaced, but the minimum separation between them should be sufficient topermit each filament to be cleanly formed without undue interferencefrom the adjacent filaments. The number and spacing of the projectionson the drawing surface determines the number of filaments that areproduced at each draw and the density of the filament skein.

A cooperating reservoir 12 is shown in FIG. 3. Base plate 8 has a handle9 at the center of one side; the opposite side is provided with an arrayof small storage chambers or recesses 10 spaced approximately equallyfrom each other and so located that when the drawing member andreservoir are brought together with their perimeters in register eachrecess concentrically engages a corresponding projection of the drawingmember 14. The recesses are filled with the viscous air-drying polymersolution used to form the filaments. A sheet of aluminum foil or similarpuncturable sealing membrane 11 is cemented or otherwise attached to thedimpled surface of the reservoir. There may also advantageously b6 athin sheet of rubber, polyurethane or other elastomeric material whichtends to be self-sealing when the drawing member is withdrawn from thereservoir. This sealing membrane hermetically seals the solution in eachof the individual small recesses from premature contact with the air andthus prevents the polymer solution from drying out or hardening beforethe device is to be used.

To prepare the drawing device for its first use, the drawing member isplaced in alignment with the reservoir and the two components arepressed together so that each of the pointed projections of the drawingmember pierces the center of the corresponding reservoir recess and somakes contact with the solution therein. The drawing operation is thenperformed by slowly and steadily separating the drawing surface of thedrawing member from the reservoir to a distance of four to ten inches ormore depending upon the filament lengths desired. As this is done theviscous, stringy polymer solution adheres to the points of theprojections on the drawing surface and a very fine filament of solutionis drawn out between each projection of the drawing member and thecorresponding reservoir recess. The filaments are generally parallel toeach other and can be spaced evenly or unevenly and densely or not asrequired depending upon the spacing of the drawing surface projections.The filaments harden rapidly on contact with the air. Although of smalldiameter, they are relatively strong; the tensile strength issufficiently great so that only 0.1 gram of filaments suffices tomaintain an average feminine coifiFure in a styled configuration.

Use of the drawing device for coifiure control is illustrated in FIG. 4.In one procedure, a skein of filaments 13 is first drawn to the desiredlength in the air away from the head and then these filaments are laiddown upon the combed and styled hair, preferably across its combeddirection, transversely of the hair fibers. The filaments are mosteflicient in controlling the hair style when they are laid across andbonded to the hair approximately perpendicular to the axes of theindividual hairs. Instead of drawing the filaments in the air and thenapplying them to the hair, an alternate procedure is to apply thefilaments to the hair at the same time that they are drawn and formed.The reservoir and drawing member are first pressed together causing thepointed projections on the drawing surface to contact the solution. Withone hand holding the reservoir 12, and the other hand holding thedrawing member 14, the user first places the closed drawing device atthe back of the head and then separates the two components and movesthem slowly around the opposite sides of the head toward the top of theforehead (as best seen in FIG. 4) thus depositing a continuous skein offilaments 13 in the wake of the reservoir and drawing member. Anotherskein of filaments may then be formed above or below the first, andadditional skeins may be drawn from the front towards the back of thehead or from the top to the sides as are required to hold the style.

After use, the drawing member and the reservoir are pressed backtogether and the drawing surface acts as a closure for the reservoirrecesses, sealing them for possible reuse.

A variation of the basic pointed-projection and cooperating recessembodiment shown in FIG. 1 through FIG. 4 is the absorbent reservoirembodiment shown in FIG. 5. A layer of absorbent material 16 about onequarter to one half inch thick (which may be natural or artificialsponge, felt, wadding, pile fabric of wool or other natural or syntheticfiber, or the like) provides a satisfactory reservoir sponge whensaturated with a suitable polymer solution and housed in a shell 17 ofplastic or other non-absorbent material impervious to the solution. Acooperating drawing member can be constructed with a drawing surfaceformed from another coarser sponge or reticulate fibrous mass 18 housedin a similar non-absorbent shell 19. Such an arrangement functions inmuch the same way as the pointed-projection embodiment previouslydescribed. The outer surfaces of the drawing member sponge 18 providethe irregular projections which draw the filaments from the saturatedabsorbent reservoir 16. A relatively coarse sponge or reticulate masswill generate several hundred fine filaments at each draw. It has beenfound that the number of filaments is roughly proportional to the numberof outer surface projections of the drawing member sponge. Since thesurface projec tions occur between the pores, the density of thefilament skein (the number of filaments drawn per square inch of drawingsurface) can be controlled by selecting drawing surface sponges with anappropriate number of pores per square inch.

Although the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 through FIG. 4 may be reusedsatisfactory if the reservoir and drawing member are carefully reengagedimmediately after use and are kept in tight sealing engagement (bymeans, for example, of elastic bands), there is some hazard of the twoparts of the device becoming sepa rated and the solution hardening ordrying out. FIG. 6 shows one effective method of combating this problemA flexible elastic retaining ring 20 may be provided, for example, withinner lands 22 adapted for mating with corresponding grooves 24 in thereservoir and the drawing member. After use, the reservoir and thedrawing member are pressed together and the retaining ring is pushedover their peripheries to hold them in closely engaging proximity andthereby prevent unwanted evaporation of the solvent from the polymersolution and/or hardening of the solution.

In FIG. 7 there is shown an adhesive strip 25 which serves a similarpurpose. This strip is typically less expensive than the retaining ring20 of FIG. 6, and although less effective for repeated reuse isparticularly suitable for the fabrication of a single-use disposabledrawing device, particularly for a drawing device of theabsorbentreservoir variety shown in FIG. 5. When the absorbent reservoir16 and the drawing member sponge 18 are thus packed together, it ispreferable to include a removable separator strip 30 which is imperviousto the solution and which thus retains the solution in the reservoir 16until the device is to be used. It is also possible to saturate both thereservoir 16 and the drawing member sponge 18 with the solution and thusto obviate the need for the separator strip. This alternative, however,'has the possible disadvantage of requiring more of the solution.

An even less expensive single-use embodiment is shown with its endbroken away in section in FIG. 8. This embodiment consists of areservoir sponge 46, a drawing member sponge 48, a separator strip 40, asealing wrapper 32, and a pull strip 34 for conveniently opening thesealing wrapper 32. The reservoir sponge and the drawing surface spongeare preferably provided with relatively rigid backer strips 36 which mayor may not include simple handle projection (not shown in the figure).Separator strip 40 is removed prior to use of the device. Strip 40 mayeither be a separate part as shown in FIG. 8, or may be formed as anintegral flap of sealing wrapper 32.

Choice of a suitable polymer solution or dispersion is determined by therequirements of the specific application. For hair styling applicationsthe filaments should, as previously stated be adhesive to each other toproduce the net, should be slightly adhesive to the hair in order tomaintain the hair assembly, and yet should be relatively nonadhesive tothe skin or fingers of the user. The filaments should be easilyremovable from the hair by combing, brushing or shampooing. They shouldbe fine enough to be invisible, yet thick enough so that added colorantscan produce nets, if desired, of dilferent shades and colors. Thefilaments should be of suitable length and should be strong enough tosupport themselves and to securely contain the hair mass. The solutionshould dry almost instantly to the touch on exposure to air, it shouldhave the proper viscosity, and it should possess an inherently stringycharacter, as for example an aqueous solution of high molecular weightpolyethylene oxide. Good shelf life and stability is another importantcharacteristic of an acceptable solution.

The following example of a solution of filament-forming materialsuitable for use in the present invention is intended as an illustrationof the nature of the invention but not as a limitation upon its scope.

EXAMPLE Sucrose acetate isobutyrate was dissolved in an equal weight ofethanol, and 27.5 parts by weight of the half ethyl ester of a 1:1copolymer of vinyl methyl ether with maleic anhydride was separatelydissolved in 100 parts of ethanol. There were mixed together 79.5 partsby weight of the first solution, 54.5 parts of the second, and 16.0parts of dipropylene glycol, using a high speed mixer, to make acombined solution.

A second combined solution was made by mixing 60 parts by weight ofpolyurethane elastomer, 480 parts of methylene dichloride, 60 parts ofethanol and 60 parts of methyl chloroform using a magnetic stirrer.

The two combined solutions were then mixed with manual stirring in theproportion of 160 parts of the first to 330 parts of the second. Themixed solution thus prepared was dyed to the desired color by adding toit a concentrated alcoholic solution of an appropriate dye or dyemixture. The luster of the fibers drawn from this mixed solution wasdulled by dispersing into the solution a small amount of finely dividedpigment such as silica or titanium dioxide.

Among the filament-forming materials, solutions or dispersions of whichmay be employed in the present invention are natural or synthetic rubbersuch as butyl rubber, polyurethanes, polymers and copolymers of vinylpyrrolidone, oxalidinone resins, high molecular weight polyethyleneoxides, polystyrene and sodium silicate. They may be dissolved ordispersed in any suitable volatile liquid solvent or dispersing mediumsuch as water, acetone, alcohol, methylene chloride, methyl chloroform,toluene, etc. If desired, any conventional fillers, dyes, tackifiers,and other compounding ingredients may be included as is well known inthe art of making synthetic fibers and filaments.

Other embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art and are withinthe following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for forming coiffure retaining filaments on the hair of thehead comprising two mating components adapted to be separated from eachother manually, at least one of said components containing a supply ofair drying viscous composition of filament-forming materials andincluding means protecting the supply from contact with the air beforeuse and maintaining a surface of the supply in position to come intocontact with the other component at a plurality of points when thecomponents are mated, and the mating component having a surface arrangedto contact the surface of said supply at a plurality of points when thecomponents are mated and to draw therefrom a plurality of filaments whensaid components are separated.

'2. The device of claim 1 wherein said components are adapted to sealsaid composition from contact with the air when brought into engagementwith one another, whereby said device may be stored between successiveuses without excessive drying of the portion of said solution remainingin said components.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of said componentscomprises a plurality of pointed projections.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of said componentscomprises a layer of porous material.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of said componentscomprises a layer of absorbent material saturated with said composition.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein one of said components comprises aplurality of pointed projections spaced from one another and the matingcomponent comprises a plurality of cooperating recesses similarly spacedand filled with said composition said recesses being covered with anair-tight sealing element.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said composition is chosen so as torender said filaments adhesive to each other and to hair, but notreadily adhesive to skin.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein said composition and the configurationof said surface are so selected as to result in the production offilaments of a mean diameter less than ten microns.

9. A method of drawing filaments about the hair of the head to retain acoiffure in place which comprises placing in proximity to the head adevice as claimed in claim 1, said components being in mating relation,then separating said components from each other to draw a plurality offilaments therefrom and moving said components about the head to laysaid filaments thereagainst.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said filaments are layed down with theaxes of said filaments oriented in a direction generally transverse tothe axes of the hairs comprised by said coiffure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1952 Budd 1321l

